Angels outfielder Brian Goodwin is hitting .333 with a .950 OPS in his first 44 plate appearances with the team, and he believes he’s been vindicated after the Kansas City Royals cut him right before Opening Day. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

ARLINGTON, Texas — As Brian Goodwin was going through a spring training in which he hit .116 with the Kansas City Royals, he tried to tell everyone – coaches, the manager, the front office – to pay no attention to the numbers.

“I was just trying different stuff,” Goodwin said. “Spring training is when you try things in game situations. I was trying to take advantage of the time to put as much stuff to the test as I possibly could.”

Goodwin now says the Royals must not have believed him, because just before Opening Day they designated him for assignment.

Now that he’s hitting .333 with a .950 OPS in his first 44 plate appearances with the Angels, he believes he’s been vindicated.

“This is what all spring training was for,” Goodwin said Tuesday. “This is what all the playing around and experimenting was for. All the trials I went through in spring training was for a reason. I thought (the Royals) were clear on what was going on and what would come from it. I guess sometimes you have to prove it. They didn’t see it right away. Now they have to see it from the other side.”

Goodwin, 28, was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals, and he hit .252 with 13 homers and an .802 OPS over 96 games with the Nationals in 2016 and 2017. His OPS dropped to .761 last season with the Nationals and Royals, and the Royals let him go this spring.

Still trying to establish himself in the majors, Goodwin has made progress in a limited sample size with the Angels.

The Angels claimed Goodwin on waivers after Justin Upton suffered his toe injury, and they began the season with the left-handed hitting Goodwin and the right-handed hitting Peter Bourjos platooning.

Even though Bourjos came into Tuesday’s game with one hit in 24 at-bats, he was the starting center fielder in place of Goodwin against Texas Rangers lefty Mike Minor.

Ausmus said it’s not enough at-bats yet to waver from the platoon, but he conceded that “if Goodwin continues to do this,” he could become an everyday player.

Goodwin has a career OPS of .893 against lefties, compared with .763 against righties. He admitted that he used to feel uncomfortable against lefties before getting a heaping dose of them in winter ball a few years ago.

Goodwin said he figures that he’ll eventually prove to the Angels he can handle lefties, just as he is on the way to showing the Royals they were wrong about him.

“The more they see it, the more they understand what they’re working with,” Goodwin said. “The more they see my confidence and hopefully the success that comes from having a good at-bat, it all starts there.”

NO RUSHING OHTANI

Shohei Ohtani, who said last week he felt his power was actually better than last year, has apparently been putting on a show in his batting practice sessions at Angel Stadium.

“Yeah, he’s got a lot of power and he’s showing it,” General Manager Billy Eppler said Tuesday. “He’s hitting a lot of balls out regularly.”

Despite that, and the Angels’ need for a middle of the order hitter, Eppler said he never has the urge to speed Ohtani’s schedule beyond the original plan, which had him returning in May.

Ohtani is scheduled to begin facing live pitching sometime next week, and Eppler said they’ll do that by having him face “professional pitchers” in simulated situations somewhere in California. Eppler ruled out a minor league rehab assignment and sending Ohtani to extended spring training in Arizona.

ALSO

Andrew Heaney (elbow inflammation) has extended his throwing to 110 feet, and he’s about two weeks from being able to throw off a mound, Eppler said. Eppler said Heaney is “feeling fine.” …

Nick Tropeano (shoulder) threw three innings and 45 pitches in an extended spring training game on Monday. …

JC Ramírez (Tommy John surgery) should start facing hitters sometime during the first half of May, Eppler said. Eppler said they will stretch him out to at least 60 pitches and then decide if they will bring him back as a reliever or continue to stretch him out to start. …

Keynan Middleton (Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to begin facing hitters in the second half of May. Middleton, however, is expected to take less time in that stage of his rehab because he only has to be built up to be a reliever. …

The Angels optioned John Curtiss after he threw 48 pitches on Monday night. They recalled left-hander Dillon Peters and put him in the bullpen. …

Félix Peña, whose turn was bumped by the rotation shuffling this week, is still scheduled to start on Friday against the Seattle Mariners. Chris Stratton will start on Thursday.